Personal Injury

Common Hazards in Construction Sites

Some workplaces are more dangerous than others, like how construction sites have more hazards compared to, say, office buildings.
But do you know that construction employers and supervisors are legally obligated to make an effort in ensuring the safety of their construction sites? In fact, according to the website of the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, LTD., workers who have been injured in construction sites may take legal action against the responsible parties.
However, this does not mean that workers can just go around and be reckless. They should also be responsible for themselves and their co-workers to ensure the safety of everybody. The first step to construction site safety is to be aware of the possible hazards.

Explosives and Combustible Materials

Many objects that can be found in construction sites may cause fires and explosions, including chemicals, gases, pipes, wires, and even outright explosives. Exposure to these hazards may result into amputations, burn injuries, eye and skin irritations, lung problems, and traumatic injuries.

Exposed Wires

Electrocution is one of the leading causes of death in construction sites, and this is because of exposed wires and faulty wiring systems. Even if you are lucky to survive, you are likely to suffer from serious burn injuries that may even involve the nerves, muscles, and bones.

Falling Hazards

Construction workers rely on equipment and machines, such as scaffoldings, ladders, and cranes, to reach and work on elevated places. But these also put them at risk of falling, especially if the equipment and machines are defective or weak. Falling accidents can result into fractures, trauma, and even death.

Falling Objects

Falling object accidents are often caused by negligence, like when a small construction tool has slipped or an entire machine has fallen from an elevated area and has landed into an unsuspecting worker. These accidents often result into traumatic injuries, particularly in the head, neck, shoulder, and back area.

Machines

Simple tools like drills and complicated machines like backhoe loaders and bulldozers are also capable of injuring a person, especially if they don’t have the proper instructions, safety warnings, and maintenance that ensures that they are in top condition and without defects. The most dangerous accidents including tools and machines involve amputations and entrapments.

The state of California follows the statutory strict liability when it comes to dog ownership, and this would make the dog owner liable for any injuries that their dog can cause the moment that their dog ownership begins. There are instances where the dog owner can be free from liability, such as provocation of the dog, when the dog bit as part of their duty, and many others.

Nevertheless, when a dog bites, the victim is not required to prove any negligence on their part, as according to the California Civil Code section 3342 (a) the owner will be held liable for any type of damages or injury that the victim suffer after being bitten by the dog…regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s awareness of their dog’s aggressive behavior. This means that the dog owner will be held liable once their dog bites, regardless of whether it is their first one time or many times. Despite this strict dog bite laws in California, however, only one percent of personal injury claims have won compensation for their victims. This is often viewed as unjust and oversteps not only the California Constitution but also the intent of the legislature to protect their citizens.

The Mokaram Law Firm website states that a dog owner can be held accountable for their dog’s aggressive behavior according to any law that best suits their particular circumstance. This way, the personal injury claim will be more personal and chances of winning compensation for the claim will be higher. The great thing about the state of California is that they do not permit and classification of dogs as “vicious” or “potentially dangerous” merely on their breeds, and the majority of places are starting to shift their “dangerous dog laws” according to the particular acts of the dog and the actions (or inactions) of the dog’s owners.